Staff Reporter.
On a dramatic day at Melbourne Park, sixth-ranked Alexander Zverev and Casper Rudd, the 11th seed, were pushed to the brink before both came through their matches in fifth-set tie-breaks.
Facing a second consecutive second-round exit in Melbourne, Germany’s Zverev came back to win 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (10/7) after a gripping contest lasting four-and-a-half hours on Margaret Court Arena.
“A lot of the times I was a spectator in the match,” said Zverev. “I was just, you know, witnessing whether he’s going to hit a winner or miss.
“That’s not a nice feeling to be in, especially in the important moments, but I’m happy that I managed to win.”
Zverev faces Alex Michelsen next after the unseeded American teenager upset Czech 32nd seed Jiri Lehecka.
It was a similar story for three-time Grand Slam finalist Ruud, who was taken to a deciding set by Australia’s Max Purcell, which he won 10-7.
The Norwegian will next meet British 19th seed Cameron Norrie, who came back from two sets down to beat Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri.
Alcaraz will aim to entertain his fans again as he takes on Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego on centre court.
The Spanish world No 2 was in scintillating form as he blew away veteran Richard Gasquet in his opening match, unleashing 53 winners.
The 20-year-old showman admitted after his straight-sets win that he sometimes tries to play “impossible shots”, including volleys and dropshots, to please his supporters.
Alcaraz, who missed the 2023 Australian Open due to injury, is aiming to become the third man in the Open Era to win three Grand Slams before the age of 21, after Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander.
He also has the chance to supplant Novak Djokovic as world No 1.
The two-time Grand Slam champion, who has never been beyond the third round in Melbourne, lost to Sonego in their only previous encounter, in 2021.
But Sonego said Alcaraz was now a different beast.
“He’s aggressive on court. He stays near to the baseline, and he wants to be aggressive. He has a good touch, good volley, good return.”
Women’s fifth seed Jessica Pegula faces France’s Clara Burel while in the evening session, Kazakh third seed Elena Rybakina, last year’s defeated finalist, takes on unseeded Russian Anna Blinkov.
World No 3 Daniil Medvedev is also in action later against Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori.